[EBB Sightings] raptors

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 JUDGE OKS CBD LAWSUIT TO GO FORWARD
 OVER RAPTOR KILLINGS AT ALTAMONT PASS, CA WIND TURBINES

 ALAMEDA COUNTY WILL HEAR APPEAL OF TURBINE PERMITS MARCH 3 AND APRIL 7
 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0
 Contact:=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Richar=
d Wiebe=C2=A0=C2=A0 (415) 433-3200
 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Attorney=20=
for Plaintiffs
 =C2=A0 Jeff Miller=C2=A0=C2=A0 (510) 499-9185, e-mail jmiller at biologicaldiv=
ersity.org

 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Center fo=
r Biological Diversity
 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 February 17, 2005
 =C2=A0
 Oakland, CA =E2=80=93 Judge Ronald Sabraw of the Alameda County Superior Co=
urt today=20
ruled that the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and its co-plaintiff=20
Peter Galvin can go forward with their lawsuit against wind power companies=20
responsible for killing tens of thousands of eagles, hawks, falcons, owls an=
d other=20
protected birds with wind power turbines in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource=20
Area (Altamont) in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.=C2=A0 Judge Sab=
raw=20
ruled that, although the enactment of Proposition 64 in November 2004 applie=
d=20
retroactively to bar CBD and Mr. Galvin from bringing suit on behalf of the=20
general public, CBD and Mr. Galvin could continue to pursue their claims aga=
inst the=20
wind power companies for destroying wildlife because they, like all other=20
Californians, have a property interest in the wildlife the wind power compan=
ies=20
are destroying.=C2=A0 The Judge also invited Attorney General Bill Lockyer o=
r the=20
Alameda County District Attorney to join the lawsuit to pursue these claims=20=
on=20
behalf of the general public as well.
 =C2=A0
 The lawsuit was filed in state court on November 1, 2004, seeking remedies=20
for the killing of tens of thousands of raptors in flagrant criminal violati=
on=20
of state and federal wildlife protection laws.=C2=A0 Wind turbines at Altamo=
nt have=20
killed an estimated 880 to 1,330 golden eagles, hawks, owls and other=20
protected raptors each year for the past 20 years, in violation of numerous=20
California Fish and Game Code provisions as well as the federal Migratory Bi=
rd Treaty=20
Act and the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act.=C2=A0 The lawsuit al=
leges=20
that these thousands of crimes by wind power companies including FPL Energy,=
=20
GREP, Green Ridge Power, Altamont Power, Enxco, Seawest Windpower, Windworks=
,=20
Altamont Winds, and Pacific Winds are unlawful and unfair business practices=
=20
under California=E2=80=99s Unfair Competition Law (section 17200 of the Cali=
fornia=20
Business and Professions Code).
 =C2=A0
 On another front, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will hold an=20
administrative appeal hearing for 29 permits covering more than 3,600 wind t=
urbines=20
at Altamont on March 3 and April 7 in Oakland.=C2=A0=20
 More information about the impacts of wind turbines on raptors at Altamont=20
Pass can be found at=20
www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/programs/bdes/altamont/altamont.html.
 =C2=A0
 The CEC=E2=80=99s August 2004 report is available at=20
www.energy.ca.gov/pier/reports/500-04-052.html
 =C2=A0
sent by:



Mark J. Rauzon
Marine Endeavours
4701 Edgewood Ave.
Oakland, CA 94602
mjrauz at aol.com
510-531-3887

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eva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">

E=3D"4"> JUDGE OKS CBD LAWSUIT TO GO FORWARD

E=3D"4"> OVER RAPTOR KILLINGS AT ALTAMONT PASS, CA WIND TURBINES
E=3D"2"> ALAMEDA COUNTY WILL HEAR APPEAL OF TURBINE PERMITS MARCH 3 AND A=
PRIL 7

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=
=A0

E=3D"3"> Contact:=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=
=A0 Richard Wiebe=C2=A0=C2=A0 (415) 433-3200

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Att=
orney for Plaintiffs

E=3D"1"> =C2=A0 Jeff Miller=C2=A0=C2=A0 (510) 499-9185, e-mail=
 jmiller at biologicaldiversity.org

SIZE=3D"2">

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Cen=
ter for Biological Diversity

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0<=
BR>
E=3D"3"> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 February 17, 2005=
=3D"2">

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0

E=3D"3"> Oakland, CA =E2=80=93 Judge Ronald Sabraw of the Alameda County Sup=
erior Court today ruled that the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and i=
ts co-plaintiff Peter Galvin can go forward with their lawsuit against wind=20=
power companies responsible for killing tens of thousands of eagles, hawks,=20=
falcons, owls and other protected birds with wind power turbines in the Alta=
mont Pass Wind Resource Area (Altamont) in the San Francisco Bay Area of Cal=
ifornia.=C2=A0 Judge Sabraw ruled that, although the enactment of Propositio=
n 64 in November 2004 applied retroactively to bar CBD and Mr. Galvin from b=
ringing suit on behalf of the general public, CBD and Mr. Galvin could conti=
nue to pursue their claims against the wind power companies for destroying w=
ildlife because they, like all other Californians, have a property interest=20=
in the wildlife the wind power companies are destroying.=C2=A0 The Judge als=
o invited Attorney General Bill Lockyer or the Alameda County District Attor=
ney to join the lawsuit to pursue these claims on behalf of the general publ=
ic as well.

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0

E=3D"3"> The lawsuit was filed in state court on November 1, 2004, seeking r=
emedies for the killing of tens of thousands of raptors in flagrant criminal=
 violation of state and federal wildlife protection laws.=C2=A0 Wind turbine=
s at Altamont have killed an estimated 880 to 1,330 golden eagles, hawks, ow=
ls and other protected raptors each year for the past 20 years, in violation=
 of numerous California Fish and Game Code provisions as well as the federal=
 Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Ac=
t.=C2=A0 The lawsuit alleges that these thousands of crimes by wind power co=
mpanies including FPL Energy, GREP, Green Ridge Power, Altamont Power, Enxco=
, Seawest Windpower, Windworks, Altamont Winds, and Pacific Winds are unlawf=
ul and unfair business practices under California=E2=80=99s Unfair Competiti=
on Law (section 17200 of the California Business and Professions Code).
E=3D"3"> =C2=A0

E=3D"3"> On another front, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will hold=
 an administrative appeal hearing for 29 permits covering more than 3,600 wi=
nd turbines at Altamont on March 3 and April 7 in Oakland.=C2=A0 

E=3D"3"> More information about the impacts of wind turbines on raptors at A=
ltamont Pass can be found at www.biologicaldiversity.o=
rg/swcbd/programs/bdes/altamont/altamont.html.

E=3D"3"> =C2=A0

E=3D"3"> The CEC=E2=80=99s August 2004 report is available at www.energy.ca.go=
v/pier/reports/500-04-052.html

"> =C2=A0

sent by:

Mark J. Rauzon

Marine Endeavours

4701 Edgewood Ave.

Oakland, CA 94602

mjrauz at aol.com

510-531-3887

2">
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